Stift Melk is the reason people come to Melk, and it more than justifies the trip. The Benedictine abbey occupies a rocky outcrop above the Danube, and the view of its golden-yellow Baroque facade rising from the cliff is one of the great sights of the Austrian Danube. The building dates from the early eighteenth century, commissioned by Abbot Berthold Dietmayr and designed by Jakob Prandtauer, though a monastery has stood on this site since the eleventh century.
The interior rewards exploration. The abbey church is full Baroque — swirling ceiling frescoes, a gilded pulpit, theatrical side altars — designed not for quiet reflection but to overwhelm and impress. The library holds some 100,000 volumes in two walnut-panelled halls under frescoed ceilings by Paul Troger. The museum traces the abbey's history from its medieval origins through its role as a centre of Benedictine learning. The terrace connecting the church and library offers one of the better views of the Danube and the Wachau valley. Open daily; guided tours available in multiple languages.